The British Furniture Confederation (BFC) has launched its new Plan for Growth, outlining key strategies to foster a thriving, resilient, and forward-looking furniture and beds, furnishings, and flooring industry. The Plan, developed over several months, combines position papers from the BFC's member associations and feedback from a comprehensive survey of industry stakeholders.
BFC Chairman Jonathan Hindle highlighted the importance of collaboration with the government, stating, 'The BFC is committed to working closely with government and devolved administrations to foster a thriving, resilient and forward-looking furniture & beds, furnishings and flooring industry.' He continued, 'Our Plan for Growth examines the key challenges our sector in particular is facing and sets out a series of recommendations for government to support us in delivering growth.'
The BFC's Plan for Growth will be widely circulated to government departments, ministers, and MPs, and will form the basis for ongoing government engagement. The industry's All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), chaired by Adam Thompson MP for Erewash, will also be instrumental in pushing the plan forward. Thompson praised the BFC's initiative, saying, 'I'm very pleased that the British Furniture Confederation have launched their Plan for Growth, to explain how the furniture manufacturing industry can feed into the wider growth and skills agenda in Britain.'
A key message of the Plan is to highlight the sector's contribution to the UK economy, with the furniture and furnishings industry, including retail, supporting over 260,000 jobs and contributing more than £41 billion annually. UK-based manufacturing alone accounts for £9.8 billion of this total, supporting over 91,000 jobs.
Hindle emphasised the significance of the sector's manufacturing capabilities, stating, 'The importance of our sector and in particular our manufacturing capabilities here in the UK should not be under-estimated. From heritage hand craftsmanship to the latest AI-driven robotic technology, our sector is truly world-beating, universally admired and keen to invest.' He called for targeted support in finance, guidance, and regular consultation to help the industry thrive.
The plan focuses on four key areas:
- Skills & education
The industry is grappling with skills shortages, particularly in manufacturing, and an ageing workforce. The BFC urges the government's new Skills England task force to provide more support for bridging the skills gap. It advocates for increased access to design and technology lessons in schools and better careers advice to encourage young people to pursue careers in manufacturing. - Trade & exports
The BFC highlights the need for improved support for UK companies seeking to export. Many companies find the process daunting, and the financial support available is often insufficient compared to other countries. The BFC calls for a unified source of guidance on international markets, grants, tax relief, and financial support. - Standards & regulations
The Plan stresses the sector's commitment to maintaining high product safety standards. The BFC aims to work closely with the government on the ongoing review of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) regulations. It also raises concerns about the divergence of product safety regulations from Europe and advocates for early and frequent consultations on regulatory and safety issues. - Environment & circular economy
The industry is committed to sustainability, but the BFC urges the government to consider the significant costs and challenges involved in implementing environmental practices. The BFC supports the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives but stresses that they should be industry-driven. Additionally, it calls for ongoing engagement with the government's new Circular Economy Taskforce.
With the launch of its Plan for Growth, the BFC aims to secure targeted government support to strengthen the UK furniture sector and ensure it continues to thrive on a global scale.
More information:
The Furniture Makers' Company
[email protected]
www.furnituremakers.org.uk